1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a clutch release mechanism for actuating a friction clutch between an internal combustion engine and a transmission of a motor vehicle, this mechanism is being installed as concentric assembly around a guide sleeve mounted on a transmission shaft, including a release bearing with an inner ring, an outer ring, and a sliding sleeve, where one of the rings, preferably the inner ring, is in working connection with a release spring of the friction clutch and the outer ring is in working connection with the sliding sleeve, and where the assembled release mechanism compensates for a tilt of the center axis of the friction clutch with respect to the center axis of the guide sleeve and/or for a wobbling eccentricity of the release spring and also compensates for an offset between the previously mentioned center axes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A clutch release mechanism for a push-type friction clutch for a motor vehicle is disclosed in DE 199 12 431 A1 (equivalent to UK patent application GB 2 339 00). The mechanism includes a release bearing, which is mounted on a sliding sleeve, and a disk spring, which belongs to the friction clutch and is in working connection with the release bearing. Particularly, the disclosed mechanism includes two areas with complementary surfaces in the form of segments of a sphere which are provided between the disk spring and the release bearing. The two areas with the spherical segments are provided directly or indirectly on the disk spring; and the areas forming the spherical segments can be shifted radially toward the release bearing.
The areas of the spherical segments are slideable with respect to each other. The slideable surfaces, i.e. areas, are formed from a surface of the distal end of the tongues of the disk spring and a flange-like contact surface of a compensating ring that is in contact with the release bearing.
The complementary spherical segments act as a ball joint for one of the two elements forming part of the ball joint and can effectively compensate for a wobbling eccentricity, such as those caused by the clutch spring, i.e. disk spring, of a friction clutch. To do this, the previously mentioned compensating ring adjusts itself automatically to the position of the disk spring or of its tongues by swiveling in the ball joint under the pressure applied to the tongues. But if there is also a misalignment of the center axis of the friction clutch with respect to the center axis of the release mechanism, such as an offset between the two center axes, then it is not enough for the compensating ring “merely” to follow the path prescribed for it by the ball joint. Therefore, to prevent wear in the contact area between the compensating ring and the tongues, it would be necessary for the compensating ring to be capable of another type of eccentricity.